It may seem like teenagers dominate the digital age, but the truth is, with so much business being done online now and the convenience with which the internet makes communicating with loved ones, there are people of all ages using it on a daily basis. That’s why if your main goal is to get traffic, you don’t want to limit yourself to teenagers and young adults. You should be designing your site and your content in a way that attracts traffic of all ages, so you can capitalize on as many internet users as possible. In order to do this, you will need to consider both the similarities and differences of people young and old to make sure you have a section of your website dedicated to them or that your site at least has the ability for their use.
The Playful Kid
Internet users are getting younger and younger, and while you can’t sell a 10 year old a product or service, you can certainly still attract them to your site for the sake of traffic. Try to remember when you were a kid. What did you enjoy at that time? Most young kids who spend time on the web enjoy playing games. If you look at kids’ game sites, you’ll find a lot of advertising next to the games. Just because the kid can’t buy anything doesn’t mean they can’t convince mom and dad to! No matter your content, having a simple flash game designed and embedded on your site can be a fun way to get the entire family involved in visiting your site. If you sell home décor, perhaps the game could be a blank house that a kid gets to color in and fill with cartoon versions of your products. If you sell energy efficient light bulbs, perhaps your game could include a super hero who saves the world by changing energy wasters to energy savers. Just be creative with your idea and hire a skilled flash game designer to take on the project. If kids play your game enough, they just might grow up loyal to your brand.
Those Rebellious Teens
Right now, a huge portion of the consumer market is actually controlled by teenagers. They decide what music is cool, which movies get pushed the hardest, and which internet fads will last. Because they have so much more free time than adults and the money they have to spend is meant for fun, businesses have found them to be a rather helpful crowd. In order to attract them to you website though, you’re going to have to find out what’s cool. Teenagers love social media and the chance to talk and share anything and everything as long as it’s about them. You can use this characteristic to your advantage by promoting your site on social networks and inviting audience participation. Ask them to vote on which product a certain celebrity would be the most likely to use. Encourage them to show off how they use your products. Invite them to participate in a video contest or to find creative new uses for your products. They will enjoy the opportunity to show the world their own unique perspective and to get exposure for themselves as well.
The 20s Crowd
When it comes to internet users in their 20s, it’s a bit more difficult. While some of them are still acting like teenagers and in college, others have graduated and are feeling the burden of college debt and a slow job market, which causes them to grow up fast. In order to reach this transitioning crowd, you’ll want to offer discounts on the products they use most and give advice in the lifestyle areas in which they are currently needing direction. Because they are busy, they want all of this in one place. Give them a video filled with helpful advice and the text version of the bulleted article below it. Advertise coupon offers on the same page. For topics, try to give them content that will improve their current situation and will save them time and money.
Mom and Dad
Once a person makes the leap into becoming a parent, their entire world changes. They are no longer simply searching the internet for themselves, but for their entire family. They need discounts on food, toiletries, and other household necessities. They need advice on raising children and maintaining a happy marriage. They need videos that will teach them how to maintain their homes and yards, or if the economy is affecting them, how to get out of debt and on top when it comes to loans. These will be the people who are most likely to sign up for internet offers and email newsletters, so be sure to have ways for them to opt in. In order to get the best product or service at the best price, they will also want to be able to compare your offerings in a convenient chart before they make their purchase. They will also take the time to read reviews before making their final decision. While they will be more thorough research in their quest for all the information, they will still appreciate short articles and blogs instead of lengthy ones because their time is valuable. This is another great reason to send them the emails, so they can read and retrieve them at their leisure, what little of it they have that is.
Good Old Granny
A bit slower to catch on to the internet wave is the senior citizen group. While they may not be as adept at navigating the web, they are starting to catch on. Senior homes are even beginning to implement computers and technology into their programs. For the most part, seniors take to the net in order to communicate with family members and to find a simple means of entertainment. Because computers are such a foreign medium to them, it’s important to keep your pages as simple as possible. For some, it’s difficult to tell the difference between an ad and your content, so making it obvious will be helpful to them. Using simple terms for your links and buttons like, “to buy now, click here” or “click here to go to the next page” will help a lot. They will also appreciate large text, step-by-step instructions, and health topics. Of course, a few related coupons couldn’t hurt either. They also enjoy using the share button to be sure their family members are aware of the great new information they just learned, so if you want them to help you get more website traffic, include those invaluable social media buttons on every page.
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